aye

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

aye, adv. [Perh. a modification of yea, or from the interjection of admiration or astonishment, OE. ei, ey, why, hey, ay, well, ah, ha. Cf. MHG. & G. ei, Dan. ej. Or perh. akin to aye ever.].

 Yes; yea; -- a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question. It is much used in viva voce voting in legislative bodies, etc.  [1913 Webster]
" This word is written I in the early editions of Shakespeare and other old writers."  [1913 Webster]

aye, n. 

 An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative; as, “To call for the ayes and noes;” “The ayes have it.”  [1913 Webster]

aye, adv. [Icel. ei, ey; akin to AS. ā, āwa, always, Goth. aiws an age, Icel. æfi, OHG, wa, L. aevum, Gr. an age, , , ever, always, G. je, Skr. va course. , . Cf. Age, v., Either, a., Or, conj.].

 Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time.  [1913 Webster]
"For his mercies aye endure."  [1913 Webster]

For aye, always; forever; eternally.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

aye, adv. & n. (also ay)
--adv.
1 archaic or dial. yes.
2 (in voting) I assent.
3 (as aye aye) Naut. a response accepting an order.
--n. an affirmative answer or assent, esp. in voting.

Idiom

the ayes have it the affirmative votes are in the majority.

aye, adv. archaic ever, always.

Idiom

for aye for ever.

Etymology

ME f. ON ei, ey f. Gmc

THESAURUS

aye

Australian ballot, Hare system, OK, acceptance, accord, acquiescence, affirmation, affirmative, affirmative attitude, affirmative voice, affirmativeness, agreed, agreement, amen, approbation, approval, assent, ballot, blessing, canvass, canvassing, casting vote, compliance, con, connivance, consent, counting heads, cumulative voting, deciding vote, division, eagerness, endorsement, enfranchisement, fagot vote, franchise, graveyard vote, hand vote, interest, list system, nay, no, nod, nod of assent, nontransferable vote, okay, permission, plebiscite, plebiscitum, plumper, plural vote, poll, polling, preferential voting, pro, promptitude, promptness, proportional representation, proxy, ratification, readiness, record vote, referendum, representation, right to vote, rising vote, sanction, say, secret ballot, show of hands, side, single vote, snap vote, straw vote, submission, suffrage, the affirmative, the negative, thumbs-up, transferable vote, ungrudgingness, unloathness, unreluctance, viva voce, voice, voice vote, vote, voting, voting right, willingness, write-in, write-in vote, yea, yea-saying, yeas and nays, yep, yes

ROGET THESAURUS

aye

Perpetuity

N perpetuity, eternity, everness, aye, sempiternity, immortality, athanasia, interminability, agelessness, everlastingness, perpetuation, continued existence, uninterrupted existence, perennity, permanence (durability), perpetual, eternal, everduring, everlasting, ever-living, ever- flowing, continual, sempiternal, coeternal, endless, unending, ceaseless, incessant, uninterrupted, indesinent, unceasing, endless, unending, interminable, having no end, unfading, evergreen, amaranthine, neverending, never-dying, never-fading, deathless, immortal, undying, imperishable, perpetually, always, ever, evermore, aye, for ever, for aye, till the end of the universe, forevermore, forever and a day, for ever and ever, in all ages, from age to age, without end, world without end, time without end, in secula seculorum, to the end of time, to the crack of doom, to the 'last syllable of recorded time', till doomsday, constantly, esto perpetuum, labitur et labetur in omne volubilis oevum, but thou shall flourish in immortal youth, Eternity! thou pleasing, dreadful thought, her immortal part with angels lives, ohne Rast ora e sempre, perpetuity, eternity, everness, aye, sempiternity, immortality, athanasia, interminability, agelessness, everlastingness, perpetuation, continued existence, uninterrupted existence, perennity, permanence (durability), perpetual, eternal, everduring, everlasting, ever-living, ever- flowing, continual, sempiternal, coeternal, endless, unending, ceaseless, incessant, uninterrupted, indesinent, unceasing, endless, unending, interminable, having no end, unfading, evergreen, amaranthine, neverending, never-dying, never-fading, deathless, immortal, undying, imperishable, perpetually, always, ever, evermore, aye, for ever, for aye, till the end of the universe, forevermore, forever and a day, for ever and ever, in all ages, from age to age, without end, world without end, time without end, in secula seculorum, to the end of time, to the crack of doom, to the 'last syllable of recorded time', till doomsday, constantly, esto perpetuum, labitur et labetur in omne volubilis oevum, but thou shall flourish in immortal youth, Eternity! thou pleasing, dreadful thought, her immortal part with angels lives, ohne Rast ora e sempre.

Assent

N assent, assentment, acquiescence, admission, nod, accord, concord, concordance, agreement, affirmance, affirmation, recognition, acknowledgment, avowal, confession of faith, unanimity, common consent, consensus, acclamation, chorus, vox populi, popular belief, current belief, current opinion, public opinion, concurrence, cooperation, ratification, confirmation, corroboration, approval, acceptance, visa, indorsement, consent, pressure to conform, herd instinct, peer pressure, assenting, of one accord, of one mind, of the same mind, at one with, agreed, acquiescent, content, willing, uncontradicted, unchallenged, unquestioned, uncontroverted, carried, agreed, nem, con, nemine contradicente unanimous, agreed on all hands, carried by acclamation, affirmative, yes, yea, ay, aye, true, good, well, very well, very true, well and good, granted, even so, just so, to be sure, 'thou hast said', you said it, you said a mouthful, truly, exactly, precisely, that's just it, indeed, certainly, you bet, certes, ex concesso, of course, unquestionably, assuredly, no doubt, doubtless, naturally, natch, be it so, so be it, so let it be, amen, willingly, affirmatively, in the affirmative, OK, all right, might as well, why not? with one consent, with one voice, with one accord, unanimously, una voce, by common consent, in chorus, to a man, nem, con, nemine contradicente, nemine dissentiente, without a dissentient voice, as one man, one and all, on all hands, avec plaisir, chi tace accousente, the public mind is the creation of the Master-Writ, you bet your sweet ass it is, what are we waiting for? whenever you're ready, anytime you're ready.